Innovative Manufacturing Process Boosts RFID Tag Production Capacity
RFID has announced that its new high-speed strap-attach-based RFID inlay manufacturing process can produce high-quality tags at rates exceeding those of conventional production methods by up to 10 times or more, depending on the type of tag being produced.
The product of extensive development and significant capital investment, this breakthrough strap-attach manufacturing process will help Avery Dennison provide customers with RFID inlays in quantities needed to help meet anticipated demand as more and more companies apply RFID tags to cartons and pallets shipped through the global supply chain, says the manufacturer.
"This new high-speed strap-attach process — along with our other complementary production developments — will help close the gap between current supply and forecasted demand of billions of tags over the next few years," says Mat Mellis, vice president RFID and specialty converting with Avery Dennison's RFID division. "Our new processes will help relieve the difficulty in obtaining sufficient quantities of high-quality RFID tags. To meet current and expected future retail, government, and pharmaceutical supply chain mandates, suppliers will need huge quantities of labels. Demand is growing dramatically, and an innovative process like this will help ensure that RFID labels are available when our customers need them."
Avery Dennison's new strap-attach process leverages the company's experience in high-speed roll-to-roll manufacturing. The process incorporates advances in the handling of strap and antenna webs, strap transfer, and strap attachment. Avery Dennison has filed a number of patent applications covering innovative features of the new manufacturing process.
"This exciting new manufacturing process is now producing one of our 96-bit EPC Class 1 tag designs," relates Mellis. "We will have multiple production lines up and running by the end of the year, with the capability to produce hundreds of millions of inlays per year, and we will add lines as demand warrants."
Avery Dennison RFID also anticipates the production of new EPC Class 1, Version 2 (or UHF Gen 2) tag designs later this year, utilizing the new high-speed strap-attach manufacturing process.
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Smart Tag Isolators For Metallic Use
Emerson & Cuming Microwave Products has announced the introduction of ECCOPAD Smart Tag Isolators, which enable the use of RFID tags on or near metallic surfaces. Thin and flexible for enhancing read range on metals and liquids, the offerings come in standard and custom solutions for HF (13.56 MHz) and UHF (915/868 MHz) application, empowering operators with a solution to the read-range problem encountered by scanners when tags are in close proximity to metals and liquids. The isolators are also available with peel-and-stick adhesives. According to the manufacturer, RFID readers at 13.56 MHz use mutual induction between the reader antenna and tag antenna to supply power for the tag to operate; Smart Tag Isolators inserted behind the tag effectively isolate the tag for the effects of the metal. RFID readers at 915 MHz utilize the radar backscatter of tags to enable reading of the information on the microchip.
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RFID Forklift Solution
International Paper's (IP) Smart Packaging business has launched what it says is the industry's first operational RFID forklift solution. The company currently offers the product as an extension for use with palletized products. The forklift reads EPC pallet tags and tracks every warehouse product movement. Says IP, the forklift solution combines the use of RFID to identify pallet contents with the use of RFID and other proprietary technologies to monitor and report the location and condition of the forklift in real time. Benefits of the solution include improved inventory accuracy, reduced lost shipments, improved overall supply chain, and the elimination of having to install RFID portals at every dock door. Say company officials, with an automated shipping and receiving process, forklift operators can focus on driving and improve their productivity instead of manually scanning barcodes.
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128-bit, EPC Class 1 Tags
The Kennedy Group offers its SmartTherm labels with 128-bit Alien EPC Class 1 Technology tags, 96 bits of which are user-programmable memory. The new tags are fully compliant with EPC compliance initiatives, and are pretested extensively to ensure quality. SmartTherm labels are available in standard sizes of 4" x 2" and 4" x 6" offerings so as to meet specifications of popular industry printer manufacturers. The new tags include updated versions of Alien's third-generation UHF EPC Class 1 products, which have application in pharmaceutical, baggage tag, retail hang tag, and many other areas, assert company officials.
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